Blue Bags Grow Better Crops

NEW BOOKLET FOR GLOBAL FERTILIZER DAY PUTS ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS ON FERTILISERS

The essential role of Nitrogen fertilisers in meeting rapidly growing food demand whilst delivering more sustainable and environmentally-focused production in the future, is outlined in a new technical booklet produced by CF Fertilisers UK.

Launched on World Fertiliser Day in London on October 13th, ‘Our Actions Speak Louder than Words’ discusses developments that allow Nitrogen to be produced with greater energy efficiency, how growers can use products more efficiently on-farm and the increasing importance of carbon footprints.

“Nitrogen has been at the heart of both arable and livestock production for a long time and with the need to feed a dramatically rising world population, it will continue to be so for many years to come,” explains Mike Buchan, Commercial Director of CF Fertilisers UK.

“But with the threat of climate change looming and the need to minimise the environmental impact of food production, ensuring Nitrogen is produced and used as efficiently as possible in the future is absolutely essential.”

The brochure points out that without fertilisers, the world would only be able to feed about half of its people and that modern fertilisers can double crop yields, he explains

“Without fertiliser, we would need the manure from up to 7 billion more cattle globally to maintain soil fertility. Feeding those cattle would mean clearing nearly all our remaining forests to grow grass.

“Furthermore, a crop of wheat grown with the right amount of fertiliser will produce up to six times more energy and capture twelve times more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than is required to produce, transport and apply the fertiliser in the first place.”

One million tonnes of Nitrogen fertiliser are now used in British agriculture every year.

“We recognise we have an important role to play and over the last five years have reduced the carbon footprint of our Nitram, Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser by 40% as well as making numerous environmental improvements in other areas across the business.

“A key element of this has been our work with the Carbon Trust to develop business-to-business, or cradle to farmgate, carbon footprints for our entire range of fertilisers as well as the Ammonia and Nitric Acid used in the manufacturing of Ammonium Nitrate.

“With buyers increasingly looking to pay premium prices for farm products with known carbon footprints, this will become increasingly important in the future.”

Copies of the ‘Our Actions Speak Louder than Words’ booklet can be obtained by contacting CF Fertilisers on 0151 357 5482 or by emailing advice@cffertilisers.co.uk Multiple copies for schools and educational use are also available.